Intac victorious in Round Tortola Race, sets new monohull record

In the 43rd annual Peg Legs Round Tortola Race on Saturday, November 17, Melges 32 Intac vanquished trimaran Triple Jack to take overall honours and set a new monohull record in the Nanny Cay Challenge.

Completing the circumnavigation in three hours, 57 minutes and 36 seconds, Intac took 17 minutes and 29 seconds off the time set by Jurakan, another Melges 32, in the 2009 race. Triple Jack was first across the line matching her 2009 time of three hours and 33 minutes, and 24 minutes ahead of Intac, but the time difference was not enough to win on corrected time. Pipe Dream was second overall and Reba was third. Girasoli won the cruising class.

Mark Plaxton, skipper of Intac said: 'All of the crew of Team Intac really had a great day participating in the Nanny Cay Round Tortola Race. Several members of the crew took turns driving the boat, doing tactics, trimming sails, and of course we all took turns hiking hard during this long hard race. Each crew member played a critical role in achieving the monohull best elapsed time record and winning the overall first place corrected time prize.

'Round Tortola has always been a favorite race of mine and to have been fortunate enough to be part of a winning team for the tenth time and beat the mono hull record with such an awesome group of guys was a real treat. Thank to Nanny Cay, the RBVIYC, race officers Bob Phillips and Judy Petz, and all the other volunteers for their hard work in hosting and running a great event that has stood the test of time for 43 years as an awesome race and very fun event.'

Sixteen yachts competed in the 36-mile race including IC24s that took over six hours to complete the course; one did not finish. Diva, the 30 Square Meter, took almost seven hours to finish. She sailed under jib alone from Cane Garden Bay on the north side of Tortola after a spreader failure and not wanting to risk another Round Tortola Race dismasting.

The fleet started in Sir Francis Drake Channel off Nanny Cay and then head anti-clockwise around Tortola. After the beat up the Sir Francis Drake Channel, the fleet turned the corner at Great Camanoe and headed on a downward run to West End where, after a quick wiggle through Soper’s Hole, it was a beat back to the finish line off Nanny Cay.

Results (Corrected times)

Racing Class

1

INTAC

Mark Plaxton

0.00

2

Pipe Dream

Peter Haycraft

+9.03

3

Reba

Jon Charlton

+11.09

4

Boomorang

Pat Nolan

+11.54

5

Rushin Rowlette

Kevin Rowlette

+13.53

6

Firewater

Henry Leonnig

+26.53

7

Cold Beer

Warren Thring

+45.34

8

Grey Ghost

Mike Finley

+54.15

9

Diva

Robin Tattersall

+137.0

10

SeaHawk

Teo Reshetiloff

DNF

Multihull Class

1

Triple Jack

Steve Davis

0.00

2

Wildfire

John Hayes

+26.15

3

Kastor Pollox

Jerzy Poprawski

+56.21

Cruising Class

1

Girasoli

Keith LiGreci

0.00

2

Wicked Winch

David Lake Jr.

+27.12

3

Ginger

Bruce Fletcher

+39.09

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Plaxton concluded: 'It’s only a matter of time before someone takes this record out. So, if, the wind is blowing more that 14 to 15 knots, Team Intac will be looking to beat its personal best time of three hours, 57 minutes and 36 seconds in an effort to try and hold off the next team from doing it too quickly.'

In support of men's health and BVI Movember, Owen Waters, Mark Cochran, Craig Chomiak, Roy Keegan and Andrew Thompson paddle boarded from the top of Beef Island to Soper's Hole. They landed 12.72 miles later in times ranging from three hours to three hours and 20 minutes. 'Things got pretty blurry at the end, out of water, out of steam, out of inspiration to live,' said one of the paddlers.

Nanny Cay launched the Nanny Cay Challenge for the round Tortola record in 2010. Yachts visiting the British Virgin Islands are invited to make an attempt to beat the latest round Tortola records.

It’s an all-comer, any-day event, starting and finishing off Nanny Cay. Competitors must attempt the record anti-clockwise and round Beef, Scrub Island, Great Camanoe and Guana Island to port. An entry fee of a $250 donation to a BVI charity of the challenger’s choice will include two night’s dockage (before and after attempt) at Nanny Cay.

As with most sailing events, the reward is in the taking part and bragging rights but record breakers will be able to celebrate their feat with a free dinner at PegLegs for up to 15 crewmembers and a jeroboam of champagne compliments of Nanny Cay. Record breakers also get their name on the perpetual trophy which is on display year-round in PegLegs Restaurant.

'It’s great to see crews going for the Nanny Cay Challenge, and congratulations to the Intac crew for taking the monohull record which has stood for three years,' said Miles Sutherland-Pilch, General Manager of Nanny Cay. 'I’m really looking forward to see who else comes forward over the next few months to take the record from these BVI-based boats.'

Intac’s $250 entry fee for the Nanny Cay Challenge was donated to KATS.

Trimaran Triple Jack holds the outright and multihull Round Tortola Record of two hours, 40 minutes and 18 seconds. She snatched her record back on Thursday October 25 in the Nanny Cay Challenge, taking 10 minutes off Formula 40 Soma’s record time set in April 2010 (2 hours, 50 minutes and 15 seconds). The vintage 34-year old Kelsall One-Off shattered her benchmark time of three hours and 33 minutes set in the 2009 Round Tortola Race.

Competitors in the 2013 BVI Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival will also have a chance to contest the record; a Round Tortola Race will kick off the Sailing Festival on Tuesday, March 26. The entry fee has been waived and Nanny Cay will donate $250 to a local charity if the record is broken.